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112
Nine were taken aback by the call in the
Messenger for a meeting of white citizens at
eleven o’clock on the morning of the ninth
at the courthouse. 59 Because early reports
from the polls proved to Democratic Party
leaders that their campaign had succeeded
and that their party had won an
overwhelming victory, men such as
Rountree were prepared to rest on their
laurels. Surprised by the announcement,
Rountree attended the meeting and observed
that he had “ never seen more people in the
courthouse” as Alfred Moore Waddell was
called to the fore. 60 It was a “ respectable
representative assemblage of business men,
59 Hayden and others credit Hugh MacRae of the
Secret Nine for calling the mass meeting, presumably
to address the issue of Manly and to pacify hot-headed
Red Shirts ready to burn the press on the
evening of the election. Several sources indicate that
the mass meeting was definitely scheduled somewhat
ahead of time by someone outside of the main
Democratic Party campaign committee. Hayden
stated that on the afternoon of the election, Mike
Dowling and the Red Shirts were prepared to burn
the Record press and lynch Manly. En route to the
press, Dowling met MacRae, who persuaded
Dowling to stop his men so as not to jeopardize the
election. MacRae and Dowling met at L. B. Sasser’s
Drugstore. Sasser, also a member of the Secret Nine
helped MacRae convince the Red Shirts to desist in
return for revealing some of the machinations of the
Secret Nine to Dowling in the form of a document
they had drawn up that has come to be known as the
“ White Declaration of Independence.” The WDI was
to be read in public the next day at a meeting McRae
called to pacify Dowling. The Morning Star featured
an article to call “ every good white citizen” to the
meeting that was called as a result of another meeting
held the night before by a group of “ representative
businessmen of the city.” Hayden, Story of the
Wilmington Rebellion, 6- 9. Prather, We Have Taken a
City, 107; Morning Star, ( Wilmington), November 9,
1898; Wilmington Messenger, November 9, 1898.
60 Rountree recalled that he had stayed up almost all
night on election day and that, on the morning of the
ninth, he was at home “ sleeping the sleep of the just
when my wife came in about nine o’clock and
showed me an advertisement in the paper that stated
that there would be a public meeting” that he had not
known was planned. Rountree, Memorandum, Henry
G. Connor Papers .
merchants, lawyers, doctors, divines and
mechanics.” 61
New Hanover County Courthouse
Image Courtesy of Lower Cape Fear Historical
Society
Many of the city’s business leaders
were present. Speakers included newly
elected congressman John D. Bellamy, who
claimed no prior knowledge of the meeting’s
purpose. 62 Waddell explained that he did
not know what the meeting was about but
had been asked to read a statement. 63 The
61 Contested Election Case, 257.
62 Bellamy claimed that in his remarks he “ approved
of the desire to rid the community of such a
venomous reptile,” but urged that they “ act with
moderation and proceed lawfully and in order.”
Contested Election Case, 257.
63 Roger Moore’s widow confirmed that Waddell
knew nothing of the planning done by the business
leaders. She said that Waddell “ was not present at
any one of the meetings and knew nothing whatever
of the plan of action until the night following his
election as mayor, when he asked the leaders for

112
Nine were taken aback by the call in the
Messenger for a meeting of white citizens at
eleven o’clock on the morning of the ninth
at the courthouse. 59 Because early reports
from the polls proved to Democratic Party
leaders that their campaign had succeeded
and that their party had won an
overwhelming victory, men such as
Rountree were prepared to rest on their
laurels. Surprised by the announcement,
Rountree attended the meeting and observed
that he had “ never seen more people in the
courthouse” as Alfred Moore Waddell was
called to the fore. 60 It was a “ respectable
representative assemblage of business men,
59 Hayden and others credit Hugh MacRae of the
Secret Nine for calling the mass meeting, presumably
to address the issue of Manly and to pacify hot-headed
Red Shirts ready to burn the press on the
evening of the election. Several sources indicate that
the mass meeting was definitely scheduled somewhat
ahead of time by someone outside of the main
Democratic Party campaign committee. Hayden
stated that on the afternoon of the election, Mike
Dowling and the Red Shirts were prepared to burn
the Record press and lynch Manly. En route to the
press, Dowling met MacRae, who persuaded
Dowling to stop his men so as not to jeopardize the
election. MacRae and Dowling met at L. B. Sasser’s
Drugstore. Sasser, also a member of the Secret Nine
helped MacRae convince the Red Shirts to desist in
return for revealing some of the machinations of the
Secret Nine to Dowling in the form of a document
they had drawn up that has come to be known as the
“ White Declaration of Independence.” The WDI was
to be read in public the next day at a meeting McRae
called to pacify Dowling. The Morning Star featured
an article to call “ every good white citizen” to the
meeting that was called as a result of another meeting
held the night before by a group of “ representative
businessmen of the city.” Hayden, Story of the
Wilmington Rebellion, 6- 9. Prather, We Have Taken a
City, 107; Morning Star, ( Wilmington), November 9,
1898; Wilmington Messenger, November 9, 1898.
60 Rountree recalled that he had stayed up almost all
night on election day and that, on the morning of the
ninth, he was at home “ sleeping the sleep of the just
when my wife came in about nine o’clock and
showed me an advertisement in the paper that stated
that there would be a public meeting” that he had not
known was planned. Rountree, Memorandum, Henry
G. Connor Papers .
merchants, lawyers, doctors, divines and
mechanics.” 61
New Hanover County Courthouse
Image Courtesy of Lower Cape Fear Historical
Society
Many of the city’s business leaders
were present. Speakers included newly
elected congressman John D. Bellamy, who
claimed no prior knowledge of the meeting’s
purpose. 62 Waddell explained that he did
not know what the meeting was about but
had been asked to read a statement. 63 The
61 Contested Election Case, 257.
62 Bellamy claimed that in his remarks he “ approved
of the desire to rid the community of such a
venomous reptile,” but urged that they “ act with
moderation and proceed lawfully and in order.”
Contested Election Case, 257.
63 Roger Moore’s widow confirmed that Waddell
knew nothing of the planning done by the business
leaders. She said that Waddell “ was not present at
any one of the meetings and knew nothing whatever
of the plan of action until the night following his
election as mayor, when he asked the leaders for